Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (May 2003, week 4)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Wed, 28 May 2003 00:34:34 -0400
Reply-To:     Mike Collum <collum@MFX.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Mike Collum <collum@MFX.NET>
Subject:      Re: relay starter solenoid fix=brake warning light!?!
Comments: To: Adam Behle <tikiman2@COX.NET>

In that you have a Westy, I'm sending you the following which was sent to me by Mark Drillock:

<snip> If your Westy has a 3 way fridge or came factory wired for an aux battery there can be a conflict. The VW relay for either of these is under the driver's seat (except for some 80/81 3 way fridge models). VW did not ground these relays directly but instead hooked their ground to the wire that runs from the ignition switch to the starter. This wire grounds through such a low resistance coil in the starter that the Westy relay works fine this way. Also this helps prevent the Westy relay from being activated while you are running the starter. Unfortunately this is the same wire that gets unhooked from the starter and used instead to trigger the new starting relay. The resistance of the new starting relay is much higher and so it does not act enough like a ground. This makes the starter RUN whenever the Westy relay is triggered and the Westy relay is always triggered whenever the engine is running fast enough for the alternator to charge. This will cause the starter to grind into the flywheel teeth while the engine is running. A VERY BAD THING!

(For the more electronics savvy, the 2 relay coils are left wired in series after the engine has started. This creates a voltage divider. The small relays are similar enough that about half of the +12 will appear across each relay coil and BOTH relays will activate whenever the alternator is charging as that is what triggers the Westy relay. Originally the divider ratio was such that most of the voltage was across the Westy coil and the starter coil just dissipated the rest)

Here is the fix if you have a Westy relay under the front seat: 1. Remove the Red/Black wire from the ground leg of the Westy relay and cover it with tape so it can't short out to anything. 2. Cut a 4" piece of wire, put a female spade on one end and a ring terminal on the other. 3. Plug the female end on to the relay where you pulled the red/black wire from. 4. Screw the ring end down to chassis ground using the screw that holds the relay in place.

That is it, you are done. The old red/black wire is no longer connected to anything. <snip>

This may not be the info you were looking for .... but it seems like something you should check.

Mike

> Sorry to leave out the vitals-I have an 87 Westy. The relay fix was done according to the tech > article on vanagon.com. In a nutshell, the ignition switch hot lead is connected to the relay > which switches constant power (taken off the starter) to the solenoid which engages the > starter. All work was performed as expained by the article mentioned (and other misc. tips in > the archives) and 10 gauge cables were used for both hot leads and the ground. A 30 amp > automotive fuse was used. Hope this makes sense! Again, I appreciate all the help! >


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.